Florida
Toddler dies by drowning in Pembroke Pines amid record deaths in Florida: Police
A toddler died by drowning on Sunday in Pembroke Pines, according to authorities.
The child, who was about 1-and-a-half years old, was found unresponsive in the area of Southwest 118th Avenue and Southwest 7th Street, Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue said.
They were rushed to Memorial Hospital West, but “despite all lifesaving efforts, we are saddened to confirm the child died,” police said.
Authorities did not provide more information about what led to the drowning, besides that there was no indication that the incident was criminal in nature.
So far in 2025, 112 children have died in the state of Florida due to drowning, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families. That is six more children than last year, and the most reported by the department since 2007.
According to Water Smart FL, DCF’s initiative offering vouchers for swimming lessons, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death to children ages 1 to 4.
“Drowning is fast, silent, and can happen to anyone. It can happen in the few minutes a distraction can take you away from the water to answer the phone or run inside for a towel,” officials warn on the program’s website.
The train hit a pedestrian about 7:20 a.m. March 29 at the 77th Street railroad crossing, just west of Old Dixie Highway.
A man died in a freight train crash on the morning of March 29 in Indian River County, according to sheriff’s officials.
The Florida East Coast Railway train hit the man, identified as a pedestrian, about 7:20 a.m. at the 77th Street railroad crossing, just west of Old Dixie Highway, according to officials.
The man was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to officials. His name was withheld pending notification of his next of kin.
Because of the length of the train, several crossings in the area remain closed until the train can be moved. Drive alternate routes if traveling in the area.
County Road 510 at the crossing and 77th Street at 58th Avenue are currently closed.
A Brightline train was seen stopped just south of 69th Street unable to travel north.
Sheriff’s deputies and railroad officials remain at the scene investigating the cause of the crash.
No further information was immediately available.
Laurie K. Blandford is a breaking news reporter with TCPalm. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Commandment broke his maiden last fall at Churchill Downs. He’ll soon be headed back there, looking for a much bigger victory.
By the slimmest of margins — a photo finish — Commandment won the Florida Derby on Saturday, completing a worst-to-first rally in the six-horse field and overtaking The Puma with the final bob of his head.
It was the fourth consecutive win for Commandment, who had jockey Flavien Prat aboard on Saturday. Next up: the Kentucky Derby, the start of the Triple Crown series on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
“He’s a racehorse, bottom line,” said trainer Brad Cox, who saddled the Florida Derby winner for the second consecutive year. “He always shows up. … He’s a Grade 1 winner. Florida Derby’s a big race. Proud of the horse. Very proud of the horse.”
The Puma took the lead at the top of the stretch and was maybe an inch or two shy of keeping it the rest of the way. Bettors roared when the official order of finish was announced, and Cox could finally exhale.
“Little too close for comfort,” Cox said.
Commandment returned $5.80 for the win. Chief Wallabee was third, favorite Nearly — the 7-5 top choice — was fourth and Wayne’s Law was fifth.
Commandment got 100 points toward the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. The Puma got 50 for finishing second, Chief Wallabee got 25 for third, Nearly got 15 for placing fourth and the fifth-place showing by Wayne’s Law earned him 10 points.
The Puma and Commandment went into Saturday’s race with spots for the Kentucky Derby basically secured, based on their point totals coming in — The Puma had 56, Commandment 50, and those likely would be enough to make the field.
Now, assuming both emerge from Saturday healthy and stay that way, they’re locks for the Run for the Roses.
“He’s got a great mind,” said Cox, just the fourth trainer to win the Florida Derby in back-to-back years, joining Todd Pletcher (who did it three times), Nick Zito and Horace Jones. “That’s going to take him a long way, the first Saturday in May.”
History has shown there’s a clear path from the winner’s circle at Gulfstream Park to the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs. The Florida Derby has been run by 26 eventual Kentucky Derby winners, more than any other prep race — most recently Sovereignty last year. Sovereignty was second in last year’s Florida Derby.
And Florida Derby winners have gone on to win 31 Triple Crown series races, including the Kentucky Derby on 15 occasions — the last of which was when Always Dreaming pulled it off in 2017. Those 31 victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont have come from 21 different Florida Derby winners.
UAE Derby
On Dubai World Cup day at Meydan, Wonder Dean won the UAE Derby for trainer Daisuke Takayanagi.
Wonder Dean is the fifth consecutive Japanese-trained winner of the UAE Derby. All four of the others went to the Kentucky Derby and Takayanagi — who guided T O Password to a fifth-place finish at the Run for the Roses in 2024 — said Wonder Dean is on his way as well.
A man is dead, found by Indian River County sheriff’s deputies with multiple gunshot wounds early March 28, Sheriff Eric Flowers said in a social media post by the agency.
The victim was not publicly identified.
Authorities believe the shooting happened about 5:30 a.m. near the 8500 block of 64th Avenue in the unincorporated area of Wabasso, Flowers said in the video, where he stood at the scene of the shooting.
The victim, Flowers said, was “transported to the emergency room, where he succumbed to his injuries.”
Flowers also asked for assistance from the public in piecing together what happened.
“Anybody who knows anything about this, anybody who lives in the Wabasso area who may have seen something or heard something, any delivery drivers, we’re looking for information from you,” Flowers said.
Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers, 800-273-8477.
This story will be updated.
Wicker Perlis is TCPalm’s Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at Wicker.Perlis@TCPalm.com.
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